2025 Pointe Live Classes & Conversations Chicago Recap: Artistry Grounded in Stability
We’re still feeling uplifted following our first-ever Pointe Live Classes & Conversations event in Chicago. On August 2, roughly 70 dancers filled The Joffrey Ballet’s sunlit studios for a day of dancing, learning, and connection sponsored by Cary Ballet Conservatory, Harlequin Floors, Indianapolis Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet Chicago.
The afternoon kicked off with master classes led by Joffrey Ballet artist Amanda Assucena and former New York City Ballet principal and Indiana University ballet department chair Kyra Nichols. Students were split up based on age, with the opportunity to learn from both Assucena and Nichols throughout the day.
Assucena focused on cultivating stability and strength, guiding students to complete adagio combinations with their legs held at 45 degrees before repeating them at their full extension, in order to “feel the source of their strength.” She also challenged dancers to push through the floor while balancing, creating an active pose rather than a static position.
Nichols taught class in the Balanchine style, with an emphasis on musicality and freedom of movement. She provided specific feedback to students, even holding their hands to support them as they sprang off the floor into passé relevé. Nichols encouraged dancers to finish pirouettes in a confident fourth position regardless of whether they nailed the turn. “Don’t show me that it’s off. The most important thing is how it finishes,” she said.
After a short break, attendees returned to the studio for an hourlong panel discussion and Q&A with Assucena and Nichols, moderated by Pointe editor in chief Amy Brandt. As two dancers with different backgrounds, influences, and expertise, the guest teachers provided attendees with a diverse range of perspectives.
Brandt asked Assucena and Nichols to touch on the common struggle of comparing oneself to others. Assucena shared that she turns the urge for comparison into inspiration, taking small details from dancers that she admires and incorporating them into her own movement. Nichols encouraged students to cultivate their uniqueness instead of mimicking others. “You have to look in the mirror and realize what your talent is,” she said. “Don’t try on someone else’s—it’s not going to work.”
Assucena also urged dancers to recognize that each day’s challenges look different than the last. She said that before going to bed, she asks herself if she’s done her absolute best for that day. “My best is not always the same, but it’s always enough,” she added.
At one point, Nichols stood up to demonstrate a dramatic fall she once took onstage, causing the room to erupt in laughter. Hearkening back to her earlier pirouette corrections, she said that even if you mess up, ending a movement cleanly is what matters onstage. “Finishing is the most important. That’s what they remember.”
Reflecting on a wonderful day of dancing, bonding, and growing, we’re so thankful for our Pointe community and guest instructors. We’ll see you next year!
